Italian Open 2021: Serena Williams suffers shock loss in a thousandth match, Simona Halep retires with calf harm

Italian Open 2021: While Serena Williams suffered a shock defeat within the 2nd spherical, Simona Halep retired from her match with a calf harm, elevating doubts over her participation in French Open, beginning May 30. Italian Open: Serena Williams suffered a shock defeat in her a thousandth WTA match (Reuters Photo)HIGHLIGHTSSerena Williams was overwhelmed in straight units in her a thousandth match on WTA tourSimona Halep retired from her 2nd spherical match as a result of a calf harmIt stays to be seen whether or not Halep will get better in time for French Open 202123-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams didn’t have an excellent outing in her milestone a thousandth match on the tour as ehe was overwhelmed 7-6(6), 7-5 by Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska within the second spherical of Italian Open 2021 in Rome on Wednesday.Serena’s defeat comes as an enormous blow to her preparations for the French Open, beginning May 30. It was Serena’s first aggressive match in almost three months and he or she suffered her 149th defeat in her 1,000 profession WTA matches.Podoroska, who reached the French Open semi-finals final yr, produced a string of heavy topspin forehands to take management of the match with an early break within the second set. Although Podoroska was damaged to like on her first try and serve out the match, she maintained her composure to interrupt once more and safe a spot within the spherical of 16.Meanwhile, there was extra disappointment for the highest stars in Rome as World No. 2 Naomi Osaka was ousted within the 2nd spherical after shedding 7-6 (2), 6-2 to Jessic Pegula of the USA. Osaka must step up on clay as she had suffered a second–round exit at Madrid Open final month.Simona Halep suffers calf harmMeanwhile, former French Open champion Simona Halep’s participation on this yr’s Roland Garros has been thrown into doubt after she retired from her second-round match on the Italian Open as a result of a calf harm.Halep was main 6-1, 3-3 in opposition to Angelique Kerber of their second-round match earlier than she obtained therapy from the physio for discomfort in left calf. She ultimately pulled out of the match permitting Kerber to achieve the Round of 16.Former French Open champion Simona Halep retired from her Italian Open second-round match in opposition to Angelique Kerber on Wednesday with a calf harm, elevating doubts over her participation at Roland Garros.Unable to maneuver, Halep wanted help to get off the court docket, inflicting doubt over whether or not she can be slot in time for the French Open.Halep later wrote on Twitter that an ultrasound scan revealed a tear in her left calf.”I will get an MRI tomorrow to understand the injury in more detail, but at the moment we are unsure of recovery time. I’m so disappointed to end my tournament in Rome like this but I will do everything I can to take care of the injury and be back as soon as possible,” Halep mentioned.Click right here for IndiaToday.in’s full protection of the coronavirus pandemic.